So you want to write Science Fiction?

Isaac Asimov wrote an essay for Modern Science Fiction (1953, ed. Reginald Bretnor) in which he claimed there were essentially three types of science fiction—gadget, adventure, and social science fiction. Let’s say, for example, you are applying these categories to a post-apocalyptic parent explaining the world to their kid:

Gadget (focus is on the science itself): “Brace yourself, kiddo—Mommy’s going to give you a detailed discussion of the science of climate change. There will be a test at the end.” [image credit: robot nanny Tinker was created by Yorkshire inventor David Weston in the 1960s. TheConversation.com] Adventure (the science is just a dramatic deus ex machina): “So kid, there’s this crazy-scary alien cyborg dude working for the Evil Empire—no, not Microsoft. The other evil empire—and he wants to take over the universe. Oh, and he’s your real dad.” [image credit: phoneweek.co.uk]